Open your pool under normal procedures, and let the filter run with its normal amount of chemicals. When all the other chemicals, such as chlorine. pH and alkalinity, are balanced, add the chlorine stabilizer. Add the stabilizer only after the filter has been backwashed to ensure it is cycled through a clean filter.
Just make sure that you wait at least 20 minutes after adding chlorine stabilizer (and that it's completely dissolved into the water) before you go swimming. The same rule applies to all other swimming pool water chemicals including adding alkalinity increaser, chlorine, algaecide, and more.
While shocking and adding algaecide is effective in getting rid of algae, it should not be done together. This is because when you mix chlorine and algaecide together, it renders both of them useless. Hence, you should first shock the pool and wait for the chlorine levels to fall below 5 PPM.
The level of stabilizer in your pool should be between 30ppm and 50ppm. This means that you should add stabilizer as soon as it drops below 30ppm. If stabilizer levels are below 30ppm, then you should add some to your pool. The water in your pool will probably look a bit green and dirty.
You can either add the stabilizer to a pool skimmer box sock and hang the sock in front of the return jet or place it in the skimmer box. Or you can simply mix it in a bucket of water first and dump it into the skimmer box. Either method is fine to dissolve the stabilizer.
Pool stabilizer is also sometimes called pool conditioner, chlorine stabilizer, or cyanuric acid (CYA). Its purpose is to stabilize the chlorine in your pool water, so the sanitizer lasts longer. This will ultimately help keep your water clean for a longer period of time.
Rule of thumb is to do the PH first. And do not bother to drive to pool store to spend the extra money for a PH DECREASER. Buy a plain baking soda for 50cents a pound in Walmart! Chlorine will not work fully until your PH is in the proper range.
At first you'll add chlorine in what's called “shock” levels – an extra heavy dose to start your pool off. A shock dose coupled with extra circulation will ensure that all the water gets treated properly in the beginning.
Alkalinity is the total alkaline material in your pool water. You should test alkalinity first because it will buffer pH. Your reading should be in the range of 80 to 120 parts per million (ppm).
Water with a pH that's too high also can cause skin rashes, cloudy water and scaling on pool equipment. Over time, scaling inside pipes can build up, restricting water flow and putting a strain on your pool circulation system that can lead to costly repairs.
In the industry it is recognized to have the pool run for 3 hours at a bare minimum up to 24 hours. 24 hours really is overkill but it'll ensure the water is completely mixed with the chemicals.
Correct levels of chlorine stabilizer (Cyanuric Acid or CYA) will protect chlorine from the sun, and will slow the natural degradation of chlorine.
Pool owners should avoid backwashing the pool for three days after adding stabilizer, allowing time for the product to fully dissolve and circulate.
High chlorine levels decrease the pH of your pool's water, making it more acidic. The more acidic the water, the higher the likelihood of corrosion. This corrosion can affect metal piping, equipment, and the surface of your pool (tiles, liners, concrete, etc.).
Pool shock.
Shocking your pool is important, but if you're using cal-hypo (calcium hypochlorite), it can raise your pool's pH levels. Don't stop shocking your pool, but do test all your chemistry levels consistently, especially after shocking.
Just as was said earlier, white household vinegar is the most preferable for lowering pH, and it can be applied by adding it directly into the pool without necessarily diluting it with water.
You should wait 2-4 hours (or one full cycle through the filter) to swim from the moment you use calcium chloride in your pool. It is safe to swim once your chlorine levels are around 5 ppm or after 24 hours. It is always best to test first!
The Orderly Addition of Chemicals
If both the pH and total alkalinity levels are too high, you'll need to add pH reducer. Once you get your pH levels between 7.2 and 7.5 and your total alkalinity between 60 and 120 ppm you can move on to working on the calcium hardness and chlorine levels.
Answer: pH - if it is too high, you will add an acid, typically sodium bisulfate or muriatic acid. If it is too low, you would add an alkaline material, typically sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate.
Strong Smell of Chlorine
A healthy, safe pool will have little to no odor. That smell comes when your pool is out of balance. The smell of chlorine arises when the chemicals are dealing with a lot organic material like sweat, urine, and bacteria in your pool.
Laboratory accuracy ranged from 5.1-40.5% measurement error, with colorimeters the most accurate and test strip methods the least. Variation between laboratory and natural light readings occurred with one test strip method.
Extra Tips. Make sure pool has been running for at least 15 minutes. An hour is ideal.